Secret Deal
by AdamLL
Summary: Brady is tired of being on the outside and feels useless until an encounter with Inigo one night. The two make a secret deal that will change them forever. They may find out that they need each other more than they thought.
1. Chapter 1

Brady called out as he woke up from another nightmare. His body was drenched in sweat and his heart was pounding against his chest.

"That's it. I'm not gettin any sleep tonight!"

He threw the covers off and left the tent.

"Maybe if I lay under the stars I'll get some shut eye."

He made his way out of camp when he spotted a shadow out of the corner of his eye. Of course it made him jump out of his skin. Should he warn everyone? Of course it could be nothing and he would have another embarrassment to add to the list. He tried to be useful and fight on the battlefield but he was in the hurt ward more than he was fighting.

"I'll check it out first before I cry wolf."

Brady snuck after the shadow and followed it far into the field. The shadow stopped and began making strange movements. This apparition was doing some sort of death dance that would curse everyone.

"I must do something!"

The figure was dancing gracefully and Brady himself started to become under the shadow's spell.

"Stop you fiend!" Brady sighed after hearing him shout such a ridiculous thing. "I've been hanging around Owain too long…..Nevermind that. Show yourself!"

The figure started to run away and Brady chased after it but of course his foot tripped over nothing and he twisted his ankle.

"Oh the pain! I've been hit."

The shadow stopped. "Curse you, Brady."

Brady recognized the voice. "Inigo? Is that you?"

The clouds moved to let the moonlight shine on the shadow and sure enough it was Inigo.

"What were you doing just now? Were you dancing!?"

"I didn't want anyone to know, but I guess you will tell everyone now. Ladies man Inigo will now be made fun of because he likes to dance."

Brady smirked deviously. "First of all, no one thinks you're a ladies man." His face softened. "Second, I know how it feels to be the butt of the joke so I wouldn't do that."

Inigo lit up. "Truly?"

Brady nodded. "Now help me up!"

Inigo reached for him and propped him up.

"Put your arm around me."

Brady flushed but quickly hid his embarrassment with a wise crack. "Oh Inigo, this is so sudden."

"Cut the crap, Brady. Do you want my help or not?"

They both laughed.

"You know, you really aren't that bad. I promise I'll stop making fun of you when you cry."

Brady leaned against him. His ankle was really starting to hurt.

"Ummm Inigo. The pain is really getting bad. I think it might be broken. Could we sit down or something?"

"Sure thing." Inigo gently put him down and sat next to him.

Brady was kind of nervous. He had never been so close to someone without a reason to. He didn't really have many friends at camp. His scar scared all the girls and the guys made fun of how sensitive he was. Noire was the only one he had a strong friendship with. He cleared his throat to break the awkward silence.

"Inigo? Why do you hide your dancing? I know it's hard to believe but I think people would like and understand you more if you told people. I feel closer to you now that I know. The ladies man front is all just an act to hide the real you."

Inigo smiled. "Thanks for the kind words but I don't think I'm ready. I'm actually super shy. I try to make everyone happy with my silly antics. I guess I didn't know it annoyed everyone until recently."

Brady sighed. "That isn't what I meant."

"I know, but I can see it in everyone's eyes. My wish is to uplift everyone with my dancing and to be just as fierce a fighter."

An idea popped into Brady's head but he might be coming on too strong.

"Do you think you would practice better with music?"

Inigo looked like he was thinking hard. "I don't know. I guess that would help me."

Brady twiddled his fingers nervously. "I was just thinkin maybe I could play the violin while you danced? We could tell everyone you were helping me train in combat."

Inigo moved in closer. "I've got an even better idea. You play while I dance and then afterwards I'll actually train you in fighting as well. It would be fun. Plus you could stand to learn some flirting skills from me too."

"I don't know about that last part. I'm all for everything else."

Inigo made a fist in triumph. "It is settled. Operation secret friendship is a go."

Brady squinted sheepishly. "You've been hanging out with Owain too."

They both laughed.

"I look forward to it." Brady said quietly. Maybe Inigo could teach him something about love as well?

They both laid back and drifted off to sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Brady lay on the sick bed while the attendants wrapped his ankle after another injury during battle. He was pretty sure that he was in the sick ward more often than any other member of the army. The humiliation was almost unbearable sometimes. The only bright side was getting to see Noire. Like him, she was in the ward a lot because of her anemia. She was always fainting around camp.

Seeing her was great and all, but the circumstances were always pathetic. No girl would want to be with a guy who gets injured every other minute. As if on cue Noire walked through the entrance of the tent.

She smiled and said something but Brady couldn't concentrate. He was thinking about how great her outfit made her …

"Bust."

Brady flushed. "What!? I didn't say bust!?"

Noire laughed. "I know. I said it. Did you bust your ankle up again?"

Brady scratched his head feverishly. It was a nervous habit. "Yeah uh….I guess so. What are you in for?"

Noire looked around and twiddled her thumbs. "I'm not in here for any particular reason really. What I mean to say is that I'm not sick or anything. I just figured I'm in here all the time and I might as well pay back the workers by helping out every now and then."

Brady was lost in his dream. He just smiled dumbly at Noire.

"Brady? Are you feeling ok? Your face is really red. Almost as red as a tomato."

His head was on fire and before he could say anything everything went dark.

"Oh Brady, my sweet, are you feeling better?"

Brady recognized that voice and it wasn't Noire's. His eyes adjusted and sure enough Inigo was leaning over him. Brady pushed him away and turned on his side embarrassed.

"Why are you here?" Brady was trying to hide his disappointment at Noire not staying by his side.

"I was here to admit that you may be getting more out of this deal than I am."

Brady sat up confused. "What do you mean?"

Inigo paced back and forth twirling a strand of his hair around his finger.

"Noire only just left to go fetch a pail of water. She has been by your side since you passed out. I think the girl already likes you."

Brady couldn't hide his smile, but then it occurred to him that Inigo loved playing tricks. He could just be toying with him. He wouldn't give him the satisfaction.

"You are just mistaking romance for friendship. It's nothing like that."

Inigo stopped pacing and sat down on the bed. "See, that's where you're wrong. I should know I'm rejected all the time. I think I know when a girl truly likes a guy."

Brady searched Inigo for any hint of falsehood.

"You really think so? I mean don't think I believe you for a second."

Inigo smiled. "I wouldn't lie to a friend about something this serious. I really think you should act on this before she gives up."

Noire walked in with a bucket of water. Her face seemed white and she looked like she was going to faint. Inigo rushed over and took the bucket from her and set it down.

"Whoa there, girly, let me take this off your hands."

Noire wiped her forehead and rushed over to Brady. "Are you feeling better? I was really worried. You missed your parents. I told them I would stay with you until you woke up."

"Awww geez, you didn't have to do that."

Noire flushed. "I…I wanted to."

Inigo winked and cleared his throat. "Well I'm going to leave you two alone. Will I see you later, Brady Boo?"

"Get out of here!" Brady waved him away.

"I'll take that as a yes." Inigo waved to Noire and left.

She giggled. "It's strange seeing you two together. I didn't realize you were so close?"

"Oh we aren't that close. He's just been unusually nice to me lately."

"Hmmm. Anyway I'll go tell your parents that you're awake. I'm sure they want to see you."

She got up to leave.

Brady cleared his throat. "Wait…"

Noire smiled. "Yes?"

"Thank you. For uh…staying with me." He could feel his face heating up again.

"It's no problem. You are always so helpful I figured that it was your turn to be helped. So….I'll see you around some time?"

Brady nodded. "Definitely."

Brady recovered quickly and soon a week went by and he had not yet talked to Noire. He felt so ashamed at his behavior but he couldn't think of anything to say. She had to notice he was avoiding her.

"I don't know what to say. How does a person go about proclaiming his love?"

Inigo busted out laughing. "Don't you listen to anything I say around girls? I proclaim love all the time."

Brady rolled his eyes. "I want my words to mean somethin'. Not just spouting off some stupid speech."

"I resent that. It's my time so quit focusing on your problems and keep playing. I'm almost finished with this dance."

"Hey Inigo, can I ask you something personal?"

"Sure pal."

Brady swallowed the lump in his throat before continuing. He didn't want to offend Inigo.

"Why exactly are you working on this dance if you don't plan on telling anyone about it? I mean what's the point?"

The conversation turned serious as Inigo's face dropped. "Well. In the other time my mom died before she finished teaching me this dance. I'm working on the last part to show my mom here. I want it to be perfect."

Brady was embarrassed. "I'm sorry, man. I didn't realize."

"It's fine. I give you a hard time about Noire but I'm just as scared in this situation. I keep thinking about what she'll think. Maybe I'm not good enough?"

"I know it doesn't mean much coming from me, but the dance looks really good. I don't know what the meaning of the dance is, but I get this sense of sadness in the beginning. By the end it turns into happiness and hope."

Inigo just stood there staring.

Brady quickly scratched his head and tried to remedy the situation. "Uh….I mean I could be completely wrong. That's just how I felt. You don't have to listen to me. I don't have a clue."

Inigo sat next to Brady. "No…that's exactly what I'm feeling when I perform it. I want to inspire hope. I know this is heavy but losing my parents was the worst thing I've ever been through. I'm so afraid that once this war is over my life will lose meaning. My parents here are going to move on with their lives. They are going to have their baby and I won't be their son anymore. I want to feel that hope that I do have a purpose."

Brady wiped his eyes and tried to sniff quietly. "Darn you! You know I cry over everything."

Inigo started to tear up too. "Now you're making me cry."

Brady touched Inigo's shoulder gently. "I know me and the others aren't as good as your parents but just know that we won't leave. We will always be with you." Brady laughed. "I'm not tryin to be sappy or anything. It's the truth."

"Thanks, Buddy. You've been a good friend to me." Their eyes met and Brady couldn't help feeling something strange. Inigo was much more than he seemed to be. He had a big heart. He suddenly felt this urge to know more….to be closer.

Inigo reached for Brady's face and Brady flinched back. "What are you doing?" He asked defensively.

"Your scar, you received it pursuing something you loved."

Brady relaxed and let him run his fingers along it.

"Maybe I have one too? People just can't see it as easily." He popped up suddenly and his mood changed drastically. "Are we done for today? Should we train with weapons tomorrow?"

Brady couldn't concentrate. So many emotions flooded through his body. He could only force a nod before getting up and going back to camp.


	3. Chapter 3

Brady bent over trying to catch his breath in front of the infirmary tent.

"I really got to get in shape!" he managed to say through gasps of air.

Once he caught his breath he went inside to find Noire. He finally gathered the courage to tell Noire his feelings. It was a long battle with his confidence but with Inigo's help he believed in himself.

She was in the corner talking to Severa which meant his plan had already been screwed up. There was no way he was professing his love for Noire with Severa around.

He quickly tried to escape before anyone noticed him but Severa's harsh voice made him freeze up with fear.

"Stop right there, Scarface!" She was headed right for him.

Brady managed to turn his head in time to receive a punch in the jaw by Severa.

"Please stop, Severa! Don't hurt him!" Noire ran in front of Brady.

"Too late." Brady said rubbing his jaw. She could really throw a punch.

Severa put her hands at her hips. "And why not!? This loser hasn't said one word to you for over a week after you practically nursed him back to health. He doesn't deserve you and I'm here to make sure of that."

"That's not true." Noire's voice seemed unsure. Brady felt horrible about the whole thing. The sting was definitely there and he could be too late. He stood up and touched Noire's shoulder softly.

"She's right. I deserved that. I came to apologize and….something else too. Can we talk somewhere else?"

Severa came again with her sharp tongue. "If you hurt her in any way so help me I will kill you."

Brady grabbed Noire's hand and they both took off. "I believe you." He shouted trying to get as far away from her as possible.

They made it out of camp and sat down in the grass.

"Severa means well…she really does. So what did you want to tell me?"

Brady took a deep breath and ran the conversation in his mind like he practiced a thousand times but when he went to speak everything disappeared from it. He just sat with his mouth open staring at Noire.

She giggled and turned away shyly. "Should I go first?" She asked as Brady's face turned red. He nodded quickly.

"I want you to know that I haven't been truthful with you and I hope you don't think I'm creepy. The truth is I haven't been helping around the infirmary for honest reasons. I do love helping out but I'm really there all the time because I'm hoping to run into you."

Brady laughed. "Geesh you really know how to make a guy feel like a million bucks."

"No it isn't like that. I know why you're always hurt. It's because you are always risking yourself to protect others. Brady, I admire you so much and I…"

Brady interrupted. "Don't say it…I'm already ashamed you had to make the first move. The reason I haven't been around is because I didn't think I was strong enough to protect you yet. I felt like I had to prove myself to be worthy of you. I've loved you for a long time Noire. All those times we were in the infirmary together, I spent those thinking about how I could keep you safe."

Noire flushed red this time. "Oh Brady!" She was surprised by his confession.

Brady stood up and shouted now. "I love ya, Noire! I think you're the cat's pajamas!"

Noire pulled him down and quieted him with a kiss.

Brady's smile was ear to ear. "Will you stay by my side? I was thinking, like…forever?"

"YES YES! Oh I'm so happy. I've never felt like this before."

Brady scratched the back of his head. "Yeah me too. Oh before I forget about it, will you come with me to see Inigo's performance for his parents? I'm playing for him and he said he'd like you to come as well."

Noire hugged him close. "Yes I don't plan on leaving your side from now on."


End file.
